Category Archives: Older care

Hundreds of pensioners and disabled people will descend on Westminster today

March 6, 2012   Carers, charities, disability, Older care

Only the elderly with £100,000 in assets ‘should pay for care home fees’ argue campaigners ahead of mass rally

By Daniel Martin

 

No family should be forced to dip into their savings to pay for care in old age if their assets fall below £100,000, campaigners will argue today in a mass rally at Parliament.

At present, anyone with assets of more than £23,250 has to pay for residential care costs – forcing thousands to sell their homes.

Now Age UK is calling for this means-test level to be raised to £100,000, allowing thrifty pensioners to safeguard their homes and pass on more to their children.

Helping the aged: Thrifty pensioners would be able to safeguard their homes and pass on more to their children if the means-test level was raised.
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Carers and residents should be given a say in the care of the elderly

March 3, 2012   Carers, Older care

Fundamental change needed to improve elderly care, says report

Tristan Donovan

Residents and relatives should be given a direct say in the running of care homes, according to a report examining how care for the elderly could be improved.

The Delivering Dignity report, by a commission set up by Age UK, the NHS Confederation and Local Government Association, sets out a range of recommendations designed to act as “a call to arms to the whole health and social care system”.

As well as greater involvement of residents in decision making, it also urges care homes to stamp out ageist language and calls for the creation of a new rating system for care homes that would inform inspections by the Care Quality Commission.

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Widows and Carers should be recognized

March 3, 2012   bereavement, Carers, Older care

Govt bereavement research fails to consider older people because social security is no longer social

The government is going through a consultation about bereavement benefits at the moment (you have to reply by the 5th March): here is the document on the web: Government consultation on bereavement benefit.

They have also published some research which, from the point of greying people, is a bit disappointing. The crucial cut-off date is age 45, because the state bereavement allowance is only paid for a year if you are bereaved from that age up to state pension age (unless you have children when you are bereaved, in which case you you get an extra allowance while you are getting child benefit for them).

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